Stuff Verdict

Accept its older hardware and distinctly average display, and the Acer Aspire 7 can easily earn its keep as an all-rounder family laptop – including some gaming on the side.

Pros

Almost feels like you get a graphics card for free

Decent backlit keyboard

Good performance per pound

Cons

Dim, relatively low-saturation screen

Uses old core components

Short battery life

Introduction

The Acer Aspire 7 is the sort of budget laptop tech fans might turn their noses up at. But it’s quietly one of the better buys for families and folks who want to do a bit of everything, without spending a fortune.

It’s seriously powerful considering it costs less than £700, has a large screen for comfy all-day use, and can do the job for some light (and actually not-so-light) gaming.

Acer gets this sort of breadth at an approachable price by using older components, and peppering the Acer Aspire 7 will a few key compromises. The important ones: the screen isn’t bright enough for comfortable use outdoors and the battery doesn’t get close to lasting a full day.